President Uhuru Kenyatta allies had planned to congregate at an exclusive hotel in Central Kenya to outline strategies they would use to market Raila’s agenda in the region, prior to the 2022 General Election.
The meeting would also be used to counter Deputy President William Ruto’s influence in the region, with analysts stating that the area’s votes and political alignments will shape the 2022 succession race.
“We welcome you to the region. Tour every corner without fear,” Kieni MP Kanini Kega told Raila on Tuesday, July 27 at an artist’s workshop in Gatanga, Murang’a County.
“Sleep in Gatanga, attend church services and meet our people. Let them know you,” former Presidential aspirant Peter Kenneth added.
Insiders privy to the planned one-day conference disclosed that Uhuru’s allies were poised to map out Mt Kenya into three categories. Key battle areas that would demand resource and voter mobilisation and campaigns.
These include areas that have swayed towards DP Ruto in the recent past.
The second areas are those which are still aligned to President Uhuru Kenyatta. Politicians aligned with the President would reportedly camp in these regions to safeguard their votes and convince the residents not to subscribe to Deputy President William Ruto’s “hustler movement”.
The third areas are the grey regions which are still wavering and have not yet decided between the camps as to which they would align themselves.
Kanini Kega, however, refuted reports of the planned meeting.
“There was no such meeting. That is just propaganda, rumours and fake news,” Kega stated.
“Ask the so-called Uhuru allies. I am not a Uhuru ally,” Raila’s personal assistant, Dennis Onyango told kenyagist.com.
Mt Kenya tour
Raila is reportedly targeting at least 50 percent of votes from the vote-rich region. Raila disclosed that he would tour the region with Uhuru in August 2021.
“If Uhuru backs Ruto, the status quo for the Deputy President remains the same because he’s banking on the Central region and the Rift. It would make it easier for him to score 100 percent in Mt Kenya, but what about the rest of the country?
“The ideal thing is for Uhuru to take back Raila. He also knows that if he stays in the race and his NASA counterparts back him, then he’s assured of the presidency,” Political analyst Mark Bichache told kenyagist.com.
ODM NEC Meeting
Raila on Thursday, July 29, met ODM’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to explain his 2022 agenda and the Mt Kenya tour.
They also discussed the party’s budget and officially exited from NASA – the National Super Alliance.
“We are assembling a heavy [political] machine. They (opponents) don’t know what is in store. There’s a Tsunami coming. I’m urging you [my supporters] to trust me, we know where we are going,†Raila stated in June 2021.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
